Fireplaces have long been utilized within different edifices, whether domiciles, restaurants, barns, and the like, in order to provide a heat source therein, as well as potentially an aesthetic value for such a location. In any event, with the adoption of fireplaces, structures have also been developed to allow for placement of articles above and/or around such fireplaces, such as the ubiquitous Christmas stocking, clocks, and other articles. Likewise, such structures, referred to generally as mantels, may provide other benefits other than simply display locations for articles, but also aesthetic characteristics (such as matching or aligning with patterns or other designs within the subject room) to allow for a more pleasing interior design effect overall. Long, then, have mantels been adopted and utilized for such purposes.
Such mantels have proven beneficial, as noted above, but have also exhibited certain drawbacks if not problems with long-term adoption. Such issues arise generally due to the utilization of particularly heavy constituents within such mantel articles, namely stone, dense wood, even underlying cement and other high weight objects and materials. Such an article must extend perpendicularly, at least generally, from a wall and, particularly if only a mantel shelf structure is present, must withstand the stresses and pressure involved with high weight articles extending in such a fashion, ostensibly for the lifetime of such article's utilization (which may be 10 years or more). Likewise, then, such structures must not only remain structurally sound and in place extending from a wall but may also require the additional heft of articles placed thereon during utilization, further straining the capabilities of such a mantel shelf. Reduction of weight without also losing structural integrity is thus a desired result in this industry. To date, however, such a concern has been left unexamined to a great extent, primarily due to the lack of providing authentic materials (again, heavy stone, cement, wood, etc.) or at least acceptable substitutes therefor without compromising the overall look and capability of such a mantel shelf article overall. There have been less expensive mantel structures provided within the industry, but such products have suffered from a lack of effective strength and/or unacceptable aesthetics for widespread utilization.
Of further concern within the mantel industry is one that has only recently drawn a certain level of attention. Fire retardant, or non-combustible, materials have gained significant consideration for different structures, particularly homes (domiciles), and the like. Although there is no definitive requirement that a mantel exhibit a certain non-combustible level, the trend appears to be headed in such a direction, specifically with the drive for overall non-combustible materials and end-products for improved safety overall. In actuality, the only non-combustible types of mantels (or shelves, for that matter) include incredibly heavy materials (as noted above, stone, concrete, cement, etc.), although such articles are not marketed or even measured for such non-combustible characteristics. As such, and with no other mantel industry contributor viewing or considering such a non-combustibility issue with regard to fireplace mantel articles, there is a significant need for such a product. Of course, the proximity to fire further increases the attention needed for this endeavor. Thus, combining a low-weight article with one that exhibits a non-combustible level (at least a mantel that will not burn after exposure to fire; cracking or otherwise losing a small degree of structural integrity is possible, but, again, the overall article will not actually burn) has heretofore been unexplored within this industry. With such concerns, there exists a definite need to provide a light-weight and non-combustible mantel within this area; to date, however, and as noted above, no such developments have been worked upon, let alone actually made.